For those for those of you who follow me on Twitter or Facebook, you will have seen a notable lack of posts from my blog and a lot of interaction with the free online magazine Disability Horizons.

Well, back in April 2011, I met the lovely Co-Editors of said magazine, Srin Madipalli and Martyn Sibley. Both are young, cool, charming, and fearless twenty-something guys who have Spinal Muscular Atrophy. They both use powered wheelchairs, hoists, electric beds and various other disabled paraphernalia, as well as needing personal PAs, but neither allow anything, disability-related or not, get in their way of enjoying life. They’re both travel-crazy adrenaline junkies, only working at their day jobs – Srin as a lawyer, and Martyn a freelance disability consultant – in order to pay for the next adventure! Check out Srin’s scuba-diving trip and Martyn’s plans to volunteer abroad.

Knowing that we all have the same ethos – to portray disability and related issue in a positive and inspiring light – I joined the guys in helping to build this start-up publication.

Disability Horizons promotes a unique and positive 21st Century view of disability. It aims to inform and inspire its readers to believe that everything is possible. No matter what your disability, everyone should feel that they can achieve their dreams, be confident in themselves and enjoy life to the max.

I’m thus very excited to have been asked to be the Content Editor for Disability Horizons, a website that I am passionate about being part of and ensuring that it reaches as many disabled people as possible.

As we as working with Disability Horizons, I also have a full-time job as a journalist, so the Inspire blog will have to be put on the back burner. But, as Disability Horizons is a community-driven website, with a high volume of personal stories from disabled people across the world, we would love to hear from you. Email us at disabilityhorizons@gmail.com, tweet us @DHorizons, or message us on Facebook.

Apologies to anyone who reads this blog, or has happened upon it, for not having updated it recently – since the beginning of September, in fact!

My lack of posting has not been through lack of desire to do so, but because of illness. In September I had two mini strokes, something I have always been at risk of due to a heart condition I was born with, but never experienced before. I thought at the time that I was having a severe migraine, another affliction I suffer from frequently. But after experiencing one symptom not typical of migraines, a ‘ticking’ eye, an MRI scan concluded that I had had two mini strokes.

The main side effect for me was a disturbance in my vision and subsequently my balance. I spent a week in hospital, and a few weeks at my parent’s recuperating, my brain slowly relearning how to function as it had before. Six weeks later, and after a mini heart op related to the strokes, I am thankfully almost completely back to ‘normal’.

This experience has really been distressing at times, but also very humbling. It has shown me the power of the human body; its vulnerability, but also incredible strength and resilience. Not only that, but it has highlighted to me the importance of human spirit, of perseverance and of positivity. I have been scared, and I have cried tears of unfairness, but I have come out the other side stronger, more appreciative of everything, and reminded of how wonderful the people around me are. So my advice, keep your chin up, your friends. family and your own strength will get you through anything.

So a little about me… well most importantly, I hear you ask, is why I was inspired to start the Inspire blog?

My brother, who sadly passed away three years ago, had cerebral palsy from birth. An inspiration himself, with a smile always on his face and a zest for life, he never let his disability stand in the way of laughter.

Many others have shown this same motivation to live life to the full, despite any disability. So, hey presto, the Inspire blog was born. I hope you will enjoy joining me in celebrating the quirks of life, inspiring and being inspired, and having a good old giggle together.

If you’d like to contact me, email inspiremagazineuk@googlemail.com. Or follow me on Twitter and Facebook.

Welcome to the Inspire blog, a place for anyone affected by disability to come and be inspired, share dreams and desires, laugh and gossip. Whatever your disability or disabling illness, whether a carer, family or friend, I hope Inspire will offer entertainment, information and ideas with a positive outlook. So get gossiping!

If you’d like to contact me, email inspiremagazineuk@googlemail.com. Or follow me on Twitter and Facebook.